Δ (similar
to
Cyrillic
Д , but with
two short vertical lines below and open on top; on Table 2 it is the first character from the right). If we share
the views of many scientists, Asomtavruli alphabet was influenced by Greek alphabet (according to some
views, it was influenced by Greek alphabet together with the other ones), it would not be unbelievable that in
this case that this was archaic form of Asomtavruli
doni (name of letter denoting sound
d )
(graphic shapes of
Asomtavruli letters and their Latin transcriptions are provided below, in the tables in our article, in particular,
under the photos of characters on the postament). Classical Asomtavruli
doni has circular shape with the
horizontal line on the top (Tab. 2: below the photo, first Asomtavruli letter from the right). It is quite possible
to assume that it was developed from the discussed charichter, – the character of Grakliani
temple, looking
like archaic
doni, related to Greek
delta , was turned on 180 degrees, transform the lines on the top into single
horizontal line and finally, formed in a form of Asomtabruli
doni ... At this stage of research we regard the third
character on the altar – grapheme
similar to Greek
delta and supposedly read as
d . Next to the character that we have regarded as
d , on the left, there is written common Asomtavruli
letter
nari (sound
n ). So, we regard that we can see
doni and
nari ; and between them – short vertical line and,
on the left, next to the letter regarded as
n , – the point (Tab. 2).
The characters are carved on the altar and hence, naturally, we can assume that there is written the
word or phrase of religious semantics. Observations show that on the right edge of the postament, where the
characters have survived but quite damaged (postament is deformed and the characters carved on it have not
maintained their original form), the shapes of the characters are freely compatible with the Asomtavruli
graphemes of letters